MLB Rumors: Brewers Make 3 Players Untouchable
The #Brewers, who have been shopping Kolten Wong all winter, are now telling teams that they are keeping aces Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff. They are unavailable in trades.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 2, 2022
The #Brewers also plan to keep shortstop Willy Adames. https://t.co/0b8cUpoZ65
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 2, 2022
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Milwaukee's top two starting pitchers, Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff, along with slugging shortstop Willy Adames, are all unavailable in trades.
Trade rumors have swirled around each of these players, but moving on from any of them would almost certainly plunge the Brewers into being a second-division team. They finished the 2022 season at 86-76, just a few games back of a playoff spot, after having led the NL Central Division until early August.
All three of Burnes, Woodruff and Adames are under team control for two more years, through the 2024 season. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently noted, however, that "the subtraction of one or more from that group is perhaps more likely at the (2023) trade deadline."
Burnes is a former Cy Young winner for the Brewers (2021) and finished this past year with a 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 243 strikeouts in 202 innings.
Woodruff is a co-ace for Milwaukee, going 13-4 in 2022 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 153.1 innings.
Adames has been a power-packed revelation for the Brew Crew since coming over in a trade in mid-2021. He's launched 51 bombs since coming to Milwaukee, with an OPS of .808.
The Brewers will head into the season to see if they can compete for a playoff spot. But if things go sideways, expect them at that point to consider trading one or more of the trio.
Photo: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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